Tobago House of Assembly Finance Secretary Joel Jack spent more time in his budget presentation on Thursday on the Sandals Resort project and skirted the issue of the sea bridge nightmare, which...
You are here
Guardian Media shines at regional Agricultural Journalism awards
Published:
Sunday, February 16, 2014
From left CNC3 cameraman Verne Tikasingh, Food Production Minister Devant Maharaj, Guardian Reporter Shaliza Hassanali and CNC3 reporter Khamal Georges.
National media played an important role in spurring and generating interest in the agricultural sector.
Coverage of the agricultural sector has the potential to spur investments and agri-entrepreneurship.
These were among the statements made by Food Production Minister Senator Devant Maharaj, who delivered the keynote at the fourth Excellence in Agricultural Journalism Awards, hosted by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Cardi) on Saturday night at the Capital Plaza, Port-of-Spain.
He said the sector expanded by 5.1 per cent in 2013 from the previous year and the contribution of agriculture to the GDP increased by 77 per cent from 2009 to 2013.
Maharaj said there has been a reduction in food imports from 2010 to 2013, while food inflation is down to 7.3 per cent since November 2013.
Maharaj said 2014 has been designated the international year of family farms. Smallholder family farms produce four-fifths of the developing world’s food, according to statistics cited by Maharaj.
“These women and men are key contributors to global, regional and national food security. The aim of this United Nations designated year of celebrations is to raise the profile of family farming and smallholder farming.”
In the same address, Maharaj also expressed some disappointment over the choice of stories awarded, however. He said several awards went to journalists who highlighted negative aspects of the sector. Acknowledging that journalists cover all areas of agricultural activity, he said there must be balance in their coverage.
Speaking with the Guardian after the ceremony, Maharaj said he wants to know what criteria are used by IICA/CARDI to select winning entries.
He said several journalists had told him that they had no knowledge that there was a competition on or how to enter.
“There are several reporters writing positive things about the sector and they know nothing about these awards. I, however, congratulate the current winners and I would like to see more people taking part.”
WINNERS
Guardian Media Ltd received the award for overall excellence in agricultural journalism.
Among the individual winners were:
• Verne Tikasingh, CNC3, Best News Feature (video)
• Khamal Georges, CNC3, Best News Feature (reporter)
• Shaliza Hassanali, T&T Guardian, Best Human Interest Story
• Shaliza Hassanali, T&T Guardian, Best Business Feature
• Sterling Henderson, I95.5FM radio, Best News Feature (radio)
• Suresh Cholai, Newsday, Best News Photo
• Jermaine Cruikshank, Express, Best Feature Photo
• Sue-Ann Wayow, Express, Best News Story
Kevonne Kerr- IICA/Cardi special award to youth/citizen journalist
• Keron Bascombe, Tech4agri.com, New Media
In case you missed it.
 |
 Heed the grievances of T&T Muslims or people may become susceptible to the Islamic State’s (Isis) recruitment pitches. |
 Questioning when the Government’s $25M relief fund will kick in, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has called on members of the public to donate relief items to flood and storm-affected... |
 Tabaquite farmers Chadwick Ramlal and his brother Fedlis had added stress yesterday, after thieves struck and stole about 400 pounds of cabbage from their garden at the Navet Dam Access Road. |
 Three days after a pregnant mother and her five children were rescued from rising flood waters and taken to a shelter, they were told to return to their water-logged one-room shack yesterday. |
 On Thursday, the Caribbean slide plunged to their second loss of the official warm-ups and fifth defeat overall in four weeks, to be without a single win heading into the June 24 to July 23... |
 His passion for his work and for lighting design, which he describes as a labour of love because it is unpaid, show through in his demeanour. |
 An appeal has been made for hot meals to be provided to those still grappling with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Bret. |
 In the latest ICC women’s rankings released on Thursday, the 26-year-old Jamaican held a handsome lead in the all-rounders rankings over second placed Ellyse Perry of Australia. |
 As Tropical Storm Bret loomed, Trinis scrambled to ready their households for this menacing weather system. |
Trinidad & Tobago Guardian Online